Giridih women rejoice as one among them is ‘crorepati’

GIRIDIH - While the entire Giridih district is celebrating Rahat Taslim’s victory in “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC), it is women who seem to be the happiest.

Be they housewives or high-ranking officials, women here are ecstatic that one among them has achieved the memorable feat.

“We are all very happy for her and extremely proud on her achievement,” Giridih Deputy Commissioner Vandana Dalal told IANS. “Her success will be an inspiration and motivation to youngsters, especially girls, who often face discrimination in matters of education.”

Dadel said she would meet Rahat when the 37-year-old homemaker and mother of two returns from Mumbai. She said she will recommend appointing her as a teacher in a government school.

Poonam Prakash, president of the Giridih Municipality, was equally ecstatic: “She has made us proud. From now on, people will know that women from Giridih can do anything. We will felicitate her.”

Rahat became the first ever woman to win Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million) in the KBC quiz programme. The fact that she comes from a humble family has made her an icon in this economically backward district.

Rahat, who could not study medicine because her family lacked the financial resources, has declared that she wants to be a teacher and teach values to kids — a sentiment that has gone down well with locals.

Rahat has a 10-year-old son and a daughter three years younger. Her husband works for a state-owned company, earning about Rs.6,000 a month.

Giridih’s women feel that Rahat’s achievement will change the way society treats its women.

“I have known her since she got married two decades ago. There was always a spark in her and she always remained very confident about what she wanted to do,” Rahat’s friend Nuzhat Perween told IANS.

Rahat’s accomplishments are significant when one considers that almost 50 percent of the district’s population are women, numbering over 900,000, but just 27 percent of them are literate. Most of them live under the ‘purdah’ system.

Rahat completed her graduation after marriage, and she used to sew clothes to supplement her family’s meagre income.

Rahat impressed the show host Amitabh Bachchan, who was all praise for her.

“Well done Rahat, you have become part of an important historic moment not just for the game of KBC but for the women of the country,” Amitabh wrote in his blog.

(Shahnawaz Akhtar can be contacted at shahnawaz.a@ians.in)